Weighing scale



Feb. 13, 1951 A. J. KAUFFMAN 2,541,365

WEIGHING SCALE Filed Jan. 24, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 WEIGH 26 mam P555 TQTA PRICE Ii 1x20 gwuem bov 2 RLBERT J- KAUFFMAN Feb. 13, 1951 J, KAUFFMAN 2,541,365

WEIGHING SCALE Filed Jan. 24, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 f I "I K0 P 3F 10 I t0 f w H n I q n) N 3 BE T J 3% ob N v Q AL R .KAUFFMRN Feb. 13, 1951 J. FF 2,541,365

WEIGHING SCALE F iled Jan. 24, 1946 I e Shets-Sheec 3 gwua/nto o FFMZRN 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 A. J. KAUFFMAN WEIGHING SCALE Feb; 13, 1951 Filed Jan. 24, 1946 vLLB ak n M 411 Feb. 13, 1951 A, J, KAUFFMAN 2,541,365

WEIGHING SCALE Filed Jan. 24, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 13, 1951 A. J. KAUFFMAN 2,541,365

WEIGHING SCALE Filed Jan. 24, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 ALBERT J. KAUFFMfiN Patented Feb. 13, 1951 "WEIGHING SCALE qAlb'ert J. Kauffman, New York, -N.1Y., assignor to Sanitary fScale Company, a corporation of Illinois Application January 24, 1946, "Serial No. 43,037

4 "Claims. (CI. 38424) The present ;-inven-tion comprises :a computing weighing scale, an object @of which is'tovisibly indicate, to the merchant andcustomer, theprice :per'lpound, the weight and sale price of the merchandisebein weighed.

It is well "known in the art to providescales whicnmake available to the vendor and vendee pertainiinformationanent the merchandise being sold including one. price and amount for merchandise .being weighed, usually in-1a single col- .umn. While this .has been recognized as an advance 1in"the'.-art, it'stilllacks all the information :necessary Q-fOI consummation of the sale. correspondingly, this :leaves reckoning for determination by the salest DGISOWWhlChZI'BtaI'dS execution of ,the sale. "With the instanteinvention, the price ;per pound; the weight and the sale gprice-is each singlydisplayed in an individual column clearly visible to persons @onopposite'sidespf the scales.

It is :also within the scontemplation zof this invention to provide a scale i or simultaneously: displaying the priceper pound, weight and sales price clearlyand legibly fromwboth sides of the scales regardless of scale calibrations; :to provide manually :operated mechanism :for selectin certain 'indicia -indicative 'of ;price and concurrently actuating -:a viewing device, movement of the viewing device vbeing rpossible fromrany intermediate positionwithout first :returning :the viewing device :to .a starting position; to vprovide an :illuminated indicia ihearing xtransparent cylinder operable under weight-of the. merchandise, and an illuminated indicia lbearing transparent-short cylinder manually movable :independently of the cylinder, to project the weight andzsale price and the price per pound respectivelyof the.;merchan disc; to provide .mechanismyiorcarrying out the teaching of this inventionwhich is applicable to standard -.cylinder type weight (computin scales; and to -provide ascal'ezemployingrstandard weighing apparatus, with which-the present ,improve ment :is synchronized, yet being less complicated andiemplo-ying fewer parts thanpresent computing :scales incapable -ofncarrying "out the objects of this invention.

-Qther objects of the inventionwillbe apparent fromthe following descriptionofrthepresent preferred forms ofv the .invention, wherein;

.Figure s1 is an elevational view of acomputing scale constructed ,in accordance withz-the.-present invention viewedfromthe :merchants side of the scales;

Figure 2.is a fragmentaryelevational view "of the scale viewed from .thecustomers side-of the scales;

Figure .3; is ga 'iragmentarv' longitudinal sec- J12 tional view of the scale taken through the-scale housing;

:Figure 4 is a vertical sectional viewtakenlon the '1-ine'-4'4- of Figurestand showing to advantage the'price selecting lever and associate gearing-mechanism;

Figurefi vis a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrow showing the @price indicia bearing-cylinder and the price reflecting means mounted thereabove;

Figure "6 is :a detail fragmentarysectional view taken on the-line 6-6 .of'Figure .3 illustrating the manner-of-mounting the-movable carriage onthe tubular supporting shaft-and the manner-croperatively engaging the carriage with theshafts worm-gear;

Figure 7. is a transversesectional view .taken on the line 'l-| of Figurefilooking in the direction of -the arrows illustrating the manner. ofmounting-the carriage racer and the electrical-conductor vbrushes therein;

Figure "8 is :a fragmentary'elevational viewof the tubular. supporting shaft with the worm gear removed-therefrom;

Figure 9 is (a bottom plan view of the same;

Figure .10 is a fragmentary .;plan view of the stepped laperture plate vemployed between the cylinder casing and the indicia lreflectingmechamsm;

Figure 11 isa detail fragmentary: sectionalview taken on the lines ll-l I ofFigurel-when looking in-the directionof the arrows showing-to advantage the=mannerof mounting the price selecting lever in the wei-ghthousing;

Figure 12- Ba detail fragmentary elevational view of a modified form of .-indicia reflectin mechanism;

Figure '13 is ,a fragmentary elevational view of a further modified form of thelinvention wherein price "push buttons are used instead of price indiciaillustrated'in Figure 1,;

Figures-14 .is ,a detail fragmentary elevational view illustrating the-modus'operandi of the price selecting lever when the push buttons illustrated in- Figure :13 are employed;

Figure 15 is a fragmentary .plan view of :the inside curved apertured plate :in which the push buttons shownin Figures 13 and lei-operate;

Figure 16 is a similar view of the outside plate; and

Figure --17 is a perspective view of one'oi the price selecting push buttons of this invention.

Thedevice of this inventionincludes a-cylinder type computing scale generally designated 20.

'Thesscale embodies a merchandise receivin platter-mull and ;a.;pair offsemi-tr-ansparent "screens 22. The screens are mounted in opposite sides of a vertical portion 23 of the scale housing, remote from the platform 2 i Above each screen 22 the housing is provided with informative data 24, 25 and 26 consisting of the notations Total price, Weight and Per pound respectively. Since the data appears on both sides of the scale, the customer and merchant know where to look for the total price of the merchandise, the Weight of the merchandise and the price per pound of the merchandise. These items are simultaneous- 1y flashed on both of the screens 22. The weight is flashed under pressure of merchandise on the platform. The price per pound and total price are concurrently flashed under manipulation of a manually operated selective lever 21. The extent of movement of the lever 21 may be left entirely within the discretion of the operator. For the guidance of the operator, price indicia 28 are posted on the operators or merchants side of the scale as shown in Figure 1. Price selecting keys 13, shown in Figures l3, l4 and 17, more fully hereinafter described, may however be used to limit the extentof movement of the lever 21. Each side of the portion 23 of the scale housing is also equipped with a normally closed weight viewing bezel 38.

Since the weighin mechanism per se and the indicia charts form no part of this invention, illustration and description thereof has been omitted. However, the drawings include in Fig. 3, a rack rod 3|, the lower terminal of which is operatively connected to the weighing platform 2 I. The upper end of the rod is formed to provide a rack 32 which engages in mesh with a pinion 33 carried by and secured to one end of a transparent indicia bearing cylinder 34. The cylinder is mounted to rotate on a tubular supporting shaft 35. The ends of the shaft 35 extend into and are supported by a frame 36 which extends upwardly into the vertical portion 23 of the scale housing, beyond the ends of the cylinder 34. Also rotatably mounted on the shaft 35 and interposed between one end of the cylinder 34 and frame 35 is a transparent indicia bearing short cylinder 31. Movement is imparted to the short cylinder 31 through a short cylinder carried gear 38. The gear 38 is actuated by the selective lever 21, through a train of gears. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, gear 38 is in mesh with gear wheel 39 carried by stub shaft 40. The shaft 4|] extends through a bearing 4| formed in one side of the frame 35, the shaft continuing through a gear 42 and a ratio cog wheel 43, both of which are fixed to rotate therewith. The ratio cog wheel 43 is engaged in mesh with an enlarged ratio gear 44. The gear 44 is fixed secured, as indicated at 45, to the inner end of the price selectin lever 21. Consequently, movement of the lever 21 imparts movement to the gears 44, 43, 42, 39 and 3B. The train of gears additionally includes a pair of pinions, one of which, indicated at 46, is formed on one end of a worm gear shaft 41 While the other pinion, indicated at 48, is fixedly carried by one end of a screw shaft 49 mounted above the short cylinder 3'! and cylinder 34.

Fixedly mounted on the tubular supporting shaft 35 within the cylinder 34, is a lamp equipped with a condenser crown casing 51. A similar lamp, indicated at 52, is fixedly mounted in the short cylinder 31, this being also positioned within a condenser crown casing 5|. The shaft 35 additionally carries a lamp 53 mounted on a movable carriage 54, the carriage being provided with a racer 55 which extends upwardly through the bottom of the carriage as advantageously illustrated in Figure 6. The upper terminal of the racer is engaged in mesh with the teeth or thread 53 of the worm gear shaft 47. As shown to advantage in Figures 3, 8 and 9, the lower half of the shaft 35 is cutaway from a'point in close proximity to one end of the shaft, as shown at the right side of Figure 3, to a point appreciably within one end of the cylinder 34 at the left side of Figure 3. This provides bearing portions at both ends of the tubular shaft which engage into the housing frame 36. The lamp 53 is also encased in a condenser crown casing 5!. Electric circuit wires 51 extend from a source of energy into engagement with conductor strips 58 mounted on insulated strips 59. The conductor strips 58, also shown in Figures 8 and 9, extend along the entire free edges at the bottom of the open portion of the shaft 35. The carriage 54 is provided with suitable recesses in which electrical brushes or shoes 68 are mounted for engagement with the conductor strips 58. ,The circuit wires 5'! furnish current to the lamps 59?! and 52, in an obvious manner, as well as to the lamp 53.

An indicia viewing apparatus is mounted within the uppermost part of the housing 23 and shown in Figures 3, 4'and 5 and includes 'a pair of stationary cupolas 6i and amovable cupola 62. These cupolas are mounted on and supported by screw shaft 49 and a parallel supporting or stabilizing shaft 63. 'The cupolas 6| are superposed above the short cylinder 31 and the proximate end of the cylinder 34. Movement of the shaft 49 through operation of the price selecting lever 2'! is effective to move only the cupola 62 within the confines of the top of the housing 23 as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5.

Each of the cupolas includes a lens 64 mounted directly above the stepped aperture plate 65. Above the lens 64 is suspended a spherically curved mirror 66 suspended from a transparent aspherical correcting plate 51/ Directly above the transparent plate 67 is a V-shaped mirror 58.

As is well known in the art, the amount indicia for each price range: forms a peripheral column of figures on the surface of the indicia bearing cylinder and the columns are equi-distant. The indicia images are flashed on the screens 22 from the transparent cylinder '34 and the transparent short cylinder 31 by light reflection from within the cylinder and short cylinder. The indicia is reflected in each instance through the stepped aperture plate 55, to the lens 64 and follows from the aspherical mirror upwardly for impingement with the V-shaped mirror 68 for ultimate reflection on the screens 22. The aperture in plate 65 is preferably stepped as shown in Fig. 10 for the reason that the surface area of the transparent cylinder exposed through theaperture is thereby varied for different portions in the length of the transparent cylinder. This is desirable because the numerals placed thereon are more crowded in certain areas so that a variation in the width of the aperture provides better visibility of the numerals representing the selected price. I have found that good results may also be obtained by use only of a lens and reflecting mirror as shown in the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 12. It is of course understood that the lamps and lenses which project the images of the indicia representative of the price per pound and weight remain. stationary. The extent of movement of the movable cupola and the carriage 54 is determined by theextent of movement of the price selecting lover. The operator or merchant is governed either by the price indicia positioned on the outer face of the scale housing or by manipulating key mechanism now to be described.

The pride selecting key mechanism includes an inside plate 69 and an outside plate 10, each of which is provided with a series of transversely extending slots Tl adapted for the reception of shank 72 of price button 73. The shank of each price button is provided on one margin with an arcuate protuberance 74 and a tooth 15 for engagement with the plates 69 and '10. Each of the shanks is also provided with an aperture 16 adapted for the reception of a coil spring 11. A depression of one of the buttons 13 as shown in Figure 14 :fiexes the spring 1! and imparts longitudinal movement to the plates 69 and 70 against the resistance of springs 78 employed to anchor the opposite ends of the plates to a fixed part of the housing. Movement of the plates is limited by stop pins 19 also secured to a fixed part of the housing and extend. through elongated slots 80 formed in said plates 69 and Ill.

As best shown in Fig. 11, the lever 2! prefer ably has associated with it a housing which serves as a mounting for the spring pressed detent I92 which has its opposed ends extending through threaded openings I03 and I04 in the housing and an end H in engagement with toothed racklike member I06. The detent also has a collar I01 which engages with the spring I08 which holds the detent outwardly in engagement with the rack.

In the above-described illustrated embodiment of this invention, it will be noted that the bearing disc 31 which is associated with the light projecting cupola on the extreme left as seen in Figure 3, indicates the price per pound. The next adjacent cupola which is disposed in association with the edge of the weight-indicating cylinder shows the weight of the article being Weighed. The third and movable cupola is that which projects on the screen the total price value resulting from the manual adjustment of price per. pound and the weight as established during the weighing operation.

Illumination within the cylinder is provided through the electric circuit wires 5'! through a low voltage transformer. As prices increase graduation lines on the indicia chart of the cylinder are illuminated due to the graduation or stepping of apertured plate 65. To better effect this result, contrasting colored semi-transparent material is mounted in the aperture outlining the transparent area on both sides of the apertured plate 65.

It is, of course, to be understood that while I have described herein the preferred embodiments of this invention, I am aware that various changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. In a weighing scale, in combination, weighing mechanism, a transparent cylinder, equipped with indicia bearin charts, co-acting with said mechanism', a transparent second cylinder equipped with an indicia bearing chart, manual means for rotating the second cylinder independently of said mechanism, means in the cylinder for directing a beam of light through the cylinder for projecting the indicia images of its charts in one direction, means in the second cylinder for directing a beam of light through its chart, and independent means for the cylinder and second cylinder to reflect the images of the cylinder charts and the image of the second cylinder chart.

2. A scale of the character described comprising weighing means and a transparent indicia bearing drum moved by the Weighing means, the indicia giving weights and separately giving values based on weights and prices per unit of weight, means movable axially within the drum to project selected value indicia, means located externally of the drum for directing the projected value indicia, means for imparting linear movement to both the projecting and directing means While maintaining them in optical alignment, and fixed projecting means within the drum and fixed directing means externally of the drum for projecting weight indicia.

3. A scale of the character described comprising weighing means and a transparent indicia bearing drum moved by the weighing means, the indi-- cia giving weights and separately giving values based on Weights and prices per unit of weight,

means movable axially within the drum to project selected value indicia, a second manually rotat-- able drum bearing unit price indicia, means fixed. within the second drum to project selected indicia. therefrom, fixed indicia directing means locatedexternally of the drum for the unit price indicia, means located externally of the first mentioned. drum for directing indicia projected from said drum, and manually operable means for jointly rotating the second drum and moving linearly and in optical alignment the indicia projecting and directing means of the first mentioned drum.

4. A scale of the character described comprising weighing means and a transparent indicia bearing drum moved by the weighing means, the drum indicia including a series of indicia giving weights and a plurality of series giving values based on weights and on prices per unit of Weight, a second transparent drum in axial alignment with the first drum, said second drum bearing prices per unit of Weight, fixed means for projecting selected indicia from the second drum, means for manually rotating said second drum independently of the first drum, projecting means withinthe first drum for projecting selected values, a. rotatable shaft extending axially within the first drum, said shaft being rotatable independently of the weighing mechanism, a connection between the rotatable shaft and the value projecting means whereby rotation of the shaft imparts linear movement to the projecting means, and drive means connecting the shaft and the means for rotating the second drum whereby the projecting means projects a value based on the unit price projected from the second drum.

ALBERT J. KAUFFMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Marshall et a1. Feb. 8, 1944 

